AWARD YEAR
2023
CATEGORY
Body
GOALS
Sustainable Cities & Communities, Life On Land, Generational Harmony
KEYWORDS
reforestation, tree planting, climate change, Life after death, sustainability
COUNTRY
United States of America
DESIGNED BY
WeTranscend
WEBSITE
https://www.wetranscend.com
Transcend
Reforesting the world by planting people and pets as trees when they die.
How does it work?
Returned to its most natural form, the body is readied for burial and adorned in 100% organic biodegradable flax linen that breaks down at the pace of nature. The body is lowered onto a bed of locally upcycled wood chips that help maintain optimal oxygen levels in the soil, creating the perfect environment for natural decomposition. Our unique blend of mycorrhizal-enriched fungi, soil, and wood chips is spread above the body to ensure the tree will derive essential nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus directly from it. A young tree of your choice is then planted. The tree’s roots form a mutually-beneficial connection with the fungi, allowing the body’s nutrients to directly feed the tree and help it grow. The vast fungal network connects your tree to the entire forest. This means if you and your people are planted near each other, you will remain connected and support an entire ecosystem.
Why is it needed?
Our bodies are filled with nutrients that can sustain trees for decades—in return, they literally clean the air we breathe and cool the planet’s rising temps. Every Tree Burial creates a healthier foundation for all life on Earth. Together we can reforest the world through death.
Pre-planning a Tree Burial greatly benefits the planet right now. We plant 1,000 trees for every Grove reserved, which means if 1 in 7 people choose Tree Burial, 1.2 trillion trees would be planted worldwide—the amount scientists believe could meaningfully offset the most harmful effects of climate change. In this way, your choice as an individual today, can have a life-changing impact on the collective for generations.
By using Tree Burial, it costs 48% less than traditional death care in the United States. It is also much more sustainable than cremation.
How does it improve life?
Every Tree Burial takes place in a beautifully maintained, perpetually preserved Transcend forest complete with a visitor center, winding paths, ceremonial spaces and a personalized Grove marker at your tree. We’re building a global network of these forests within 2 hours of select metropolitan areas totaling thousands of acres of conserved, reforested land. Since everything in the forest is connected, your biology doesn’t just transform into a single tree, but an entire forest that friends and family can visit for generations.